Pickwick in its earliest book form: Dickens' first great work, completed when he was just 24. This very scarce first American edition predated the English book edition, at a time before any international forms of copyright, a practice that was to cause its author great annoyance. The first four volumes of this Philadelphia edition were published between November 1836 and September 1837. The one-volume book edition in England was not issued until November 1837, with the fifth volume of this American edition appearing in December.

Pickwick in its earliest book form: Dickens' first great work, completed when he was just 24. This very scarce first American edition predated the English book edition, at a time before any international forms of copyright, a practice that was to cause its author great annoyance. The first four volumes of this Philadelphia edition were published between November 1836 and September 1837. The one-volume book edition in England was not issued until November 1837, with the fifth volume of this American edition appearing in December.

Only about 1500 copies of the first volume were issued, but as Dickens' popularity grew, later volumes appeared in greater quantities and volumes 1 and 2 were re-issued. In this set, once in the famous Suzannet collection of Dickens, volume 1 is in its rare first state, while volume 2 is in its second issue form.

With this set is the letter from the Rosenbach Company offering it to Count de Suzannet, the Dickens collector, for the very substantial 1932 price of $585 (citing the $600 made by a copy at Jerome Kern's 1929 sale). For the relationship between Rosenbach and Suzannet, see Frank A. GIbson, "A Great Bookseller", in The Dickensian Vol. 57, Issue 334 (1 May 1961).

Detailed summary: first issue of volume one (no mention of 'part first' on title or spine label, verso of title with note "Dickinson & Ward, Printers", 2pp. advertisements at front listing only "Watkins Tottle" and two sections of 8pp. and 4pp. at end with advertisement for two further works by Boz on verso of final leaf of text p.[220]), second issue of volume two with 'part second' on title and spine label and 'sporting' on sixth line only, volumes 3-5 each with advertisements (3: 4 pp. at front and 4 pp. at end, 4: 4 pp. at front, 5: 4 pp. at front and 14 pp. at end).